Sparkles, lights and Swarovski crystals in Midtown Fifth Avenue

Last December, the Rockefeller Center as well as some the surrounding stores were elegantly dressed with lights and sparkles, thanks to an association with the Austrian crystal stone producer: Swarovski. Fifth Avenue at the Midtown level, has always been considered a prestigious area with a multitude of luxurious stores. The magic of the holiday’s season did not spare the glamorous avenue, which despite a freezing cold, was packed with New Yorkers and tourists in search for some enchantment. Last month we presented some beautiful holiday’s windows displays from Paris, this month, let us dazzle your eyes with images from the Big Apple.

Our first stop is the luxurious department store Lord & Taylor located between the 38th and 39th street. For over 80 years, the store has created Christmas windows for pure delight rather than for selling merchandise, and the tradition still continues today. Lord & Taylor was actually the first one to do so, followed soon after by other retailers. Like in Paris with the iconic Le Printemps and Les Galleries Lafayette, the unveiling of the window displays each year is greatly looked forward to by tourists and locals alike. There is always a little competition in the air during that festive period, as upscale retailers demonstrate a lot of creativity to wow the potential buyers and brighten their aura.

For the Holidays 2009, along with its traditional Christmas displays, Lord & Taylor has teamed up with the Austrian crystal stone maker Swarovski to create a series of fairy snowy scenes that could have been easily compared to the dreamy Russian Christmas theme created by Le Printemps in Paris. Under the à propos title of “The Sparkle of Swarovski crystals”, the vitrines were featuring mannequins dressed in crystal encrusted white gowns under streams of bids and Christmas ornaments, all 100% Swarovski, representing a new fallen snow. A pure enchantment for the eyes…

Lord & Taylor - Swarovski holiday window (2009)


Lord & Taylor - Swarovski holiday window (2009)


Lord & Taylor - Swarovski holiday window (2009)


Lord & Taylor - Swarovski holiday window (2009)

Ten blocks north of Lord & Taylor and right in front of another sparkling Saks Fifth Avenue, is New York's top Christmas attraction: the Rockefeller Center. Every year, many New Yorkers wait in line for hours to have the privilege to skate (and also propose) under the 76-foot-high Christmas tree, whose official lighting at the beginning of December is always the reason for a large ceremony including famous guests. Along with the imposing tree, also comes a row of beautiful herald angels that cannot be missed. These wire-sculpted angel figures have decorated the Rockefeller Center during the holidays since 1954. The scenery is lovely during the day, but it is at night that the magic really happens.

Every year since 2004, Swarovski is the sponsor of “The Star at Rockefeller Center”. A Swarovski crystal star, measuring 9 1/2 feet in diameter and 1 1/2 feet in depth, radiated over midtown Manhattan from its perch atop the most famous Christmas tree in the world. It took a team of 9 artisans and engineers, 25,000 crystals with 1,000,000 facets, and 3 months to create that over the top 500 pounds star.

Dazzled by so much beauty, it would be fair to ask ourselves: Is there a better place in the world to celebrate the magic of Christmas?

Concert of lights on Saks Fifth Avenue facade


Rockefeller Center's herald angels

Rockefeller Center's herald angels with in the background “The Star at Rockefeller Center”

Rockefeller Plaza during day time

For more information

Lord & Taylor
424 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10018
Tel: +1 (212) 391 3344
Monday to Saturday: 10am to 9pm
Sunday: 11am – 7pm
Website

Rockefeller Center
1250 Avenue of the Americas
Manhattan, New York, NY 10112
Tel: +1 (212) 632 3975
Website

Swarovski
30 Rockefeller Plaza Spc G
10112 New York, New York, NY 10112
Tel:+1 (212) 332 4300
Website

Interactive map

Check out our interactive map of New York City to see where I took all the pictures featured in this article.